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AIBU?

To think there is no excuse for a teacher to be nasty to a child?

42 replies

WorriedWatcher · 28/03/2014 19:34

Name changing regular as too many people know my usual name and this could have repercussions if someone knew who I was!

Want to be careful about how I say this. Basically, the things I am going to mention below are definitely happening as I work in the school and have witnessed a lot of them first hand.

I don't feel the teacher in question is treating the children very well and am not sure what I can do about it. In terms of context, the lady is the deputy head and very pally with the head (both there 15+years) so in terms of me reporting it, the head 'is aware' of the situation but hasn't actually done anything about it!

Children in question are 7 and 8:

-shouted at everyday

most of the class are terrified of her, she is very irrational and can shout at one child for something and help a second child for the same thing
if a child asks her a question about the work, they will often be shouted at because she has already told them X number of times
a child will ask a question and because they weren't deemed to have been listening during the whole class teaching the teacher refused to help them

-picking on certain individuals e.g. Questioning whether a child should even be allowed to be part of a show (in a nasty way mocking her Infront of the rest of the class)

rubbishing a child's work to another member of staff because nothing X does is ever any good etc

There are loads of other examples but I just want to know if this is acceptable for 7 and 8 year olds and I am just too soft or if I should push for the head to do more.

OP posts:

Report

TheGonnagle · 28/03/2014 19:36

I think you already know the answer to this question. If this is for real then I suggest you write to the head of the board of governors.

WorriedWatcher · 28/03/2014 19:39

Absolutely for real, I wish it wasn't as my dd will be in her class next year and I don't think she's tough enough to handle the shouting etc.

OP posts:

MistletoeBUTNOwine · 28/03/2014 19:44

This happened to my dd (8).
Head likes teacher so even tho we complained we had her moved out of class, teacher carried on business as usual- horrid cow

hiddenhome · 28/03/2014 19:49

Ds2 had to leave his last school partly because of his nasty, bullying Year 3 teacher. She almost destroyed his confidence and the other kids in the class copied her and started bullying him too

I'd suggest that you contact the Governors or perhaps even approach the LEA if you feel you can't go to them.

mummy1973 · 28/03/2014 20:07

What Thegonnagle said.

PumpkinPie2013 · 28/03/2014 20:55

YANBU

Contact the governors.

rabbitlady · 28/03/2014 20:55

i've known teachers have to leave because of bullying by other teachers. look for another school for your child.

AuroraSim · 28/03/2014 21:04

Contact the govoners.

WorriedWatcher · 29/03/2014 14:16

Thank you.

The governors are pretty poor tbh. They are currently undergoing an external review and I think a lot of them will probably be told they are not up to the job anymore!

E.g. A lunchtime supervisor once pushed a child (witnessed by other staff) and barely got a telling off, no sort of formal warning etc. She still works there now!

OP posts:

cankles · 29/03/2014 14:21

This sounds awful.

What's the school whistleblowing policy? I am not a teacher so don't know the systems but you definitely need to take this further.

My dd3 experienced a teacher when she was 7/8 years old who used sarcasm (which kids don't get at that age) and also shouted day in daily, 5 days a week, 7 hours a day. Think about how you would feel exposed to that - personally I couldn't manage it. So follow this up, you cannot be punished in any way for bringing this up again; write it all down and get a hold of your bullying/harassement in the workplace policy also.

wheresthelight · 29/03/2014 14:23

Report it to the lea, social services, Ofsted and the police if you are that concerned. It is abuse plain and simple

LindyHemming · 29/03/2014 14:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JT05 · 29/03/2014 14:37

you can contact OFSTED and cite this as a safeguarding issue. Sounds like abuse.

HowContraryMary · 29/03/2014 16:54

www.ofsted.gov.uk/contact-us/whistleblower-hotline

There may be times when council employees and those working with young children will want to report to us concerns about practices and procedures for the safeguarding of children and young people.

You can contact our hotline in three ways.
Call us on 0300 123 3155 (Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm).
Email us at [email protected].
Write to us at:
WBHL
Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester M1 2WD

loveandsmiles · 29/03/2014 17:09

YANBU

My DD had a teacher like this last year, teaching 9-10year olds. She had never been in trouble throughout school and then all of a sudden she was being yelled at everyday and the teacher put her down at every opportunity - honestly, it seemed like she just hated her. I complained to the head teacher who more or less said we were imagining it. Worse year of school ever. I am now worried my DS will get her after the summer - she was so awful I would consider moving him to another school if that were the case.

Please do all you can to prevent this so called teacher continuing like this........

User989546711 · 29/03/2014 17:16

My teacher was very much like that at age 7/8. She taught by bullying and humiliation. Shouting, insults, singling out kids to embarrass them. I was one of her main targets. I'm mid thirties and her worst insults still ring in my ears. It had a massive impact on my schooling and confidence (I had major anxiety issues while at the school). The Head was aware and backed her 'style', it was part of the culture of the school (bullying between kids was rife and unchecked too).

Do complain, but don't hesitate to move your DD if you think it's that bad. If my parents had moved me my school life (possibly the rest of my life - the school really had a terrible affect on my MH) could have been very different.

streakybacon · 29/03/2014 17:24

Seems to be fairly common with old-school (older) teachers. My son had a horrible experience when he was 9 - it accelerated our decision to home educate. He was treated dreadfully, including physical harm, holding grudges, and being generally unpleasant to him. It didn't help that he has autism and was just punished for it, no practical intervention at all. Some teachers are just horrible people and shouldn't be working with children (yes, I know the majority are great and do a good job).

I still regret not having made a formal complaint at the time, but he was so damaged when we pulled him out that I hadn't time to do that and repair him at the same time. Unsurprisingly, the school closed shortly afterwards and few people were sorry.

darkerdays · 29/03/2014 17:29

Haven't any parents complained as the children are so frightened of her?
From experience, complaints might not get you anywhere as head teachers and governors tend to protect their own. There should be a whistle blowing policy either at the school or Local Authority which you could follow.

Ofsted should take the complaint seriously so it might be worth a try. Saying that, I have evidence of safeguarding/ welfare issues and illegal acts by a school and Ofsted currently do not seem interested at all

TheCrackFox · 29/03/2014 17:31

It is faintly depressing that there are still teachers like this (very common circa 1980 in my experience) as they absolutely do not bring the best out of children.

streakybacon · 29/03/2014 17:35

It's another reason why I didn't make a complaint - I had little faith that it would get anywhere and didn't want to put in a lot of time and effort for no outcome. But the school and the teacher in question really should have been called to account.

Ofsted is a good idea. They would be interested to hear your account, OP.

Marylou62 · 29/03/2014 17:57

I used to help in school a lot and one teacher in particular was horrible to the kids. She humiliated a child once and I stepped between them and had a word with her! and that was the end of me ever going in again.(I did complain and don't know if anything was done as soon after we took our own child out too.) I work within childcare and am proud that I have never(knowingly) humiliated a child. I agree, some people should NOT work with our children.

Aeroflotgirl · 29/03/2014 19:08

Op this is not on. You have to report to an external source such as the LEA and OFSTEAD

GoblinLittleOwl · 29/03/2014 21:38

You know perfectly well what you should do. You should present your concerns to your line manager, who will discuss them with the Head of Year, or if it is a small school, the Deputy Head. As she is the teacher concerned the matter will most likely be referred to the Headteacher. You most definitely should not discuss them on social media, and if you and the teacher are identified, you will be in serious trouble.

Aeroflotgirl · 29/03/2014 22:28

The HT is not doing anything about it, and the governors are no good, go to outside agencies as I've mentioned. There is ineffectiveness within the organisation, I don't think tge problem has any chance of resolving. I feel thus needs outside intervention.

AchyFox · 30/03/2014 00:53

Goblin, you seem to believe the OP works at the school.

Why ?

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